Improvement in clothes-line conductors



NYPETERS. PMOTDJJTNOGRIPMER, WASHINGTON. D C.

'when the line is stationary.

DAVID REED AND -anos snAEEEEE, ornnowaronio.

Leners Peten Ne. 113,563, aerea April 11,1871.

IMPROVEMENT IN CLOTHES-LINE CONDUCTORS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent `and' making part of the same.

To all whom it may concern Beit known that we, DAvrD REED and AMos SHAEFFER, oi' Medway, in the county of Clarke and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in GlothesLiue Conductors; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description of the'same, reference being had tothe accompanying drawing and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

This invention has for its object the production of a simple and ei'ective method oi' conducting and arranging a clothes-line and devices for operating thev same, whereby a person standing in an open window or doorway may place theclothes upon and remove them from the line without materially changing position or. being exposed to the weather, as is necessary It consists also in providing a coupling, which shall permit ofthe line being connected so as to be continuous, and disconnected, with ease and dispatch, and of being attached to a `Sheltered reel located at the most convenient operating point.

lo enable others skilled in the art to make and use our invention we will now proceed to describe fully the method of constructing and operating the same.`

In the drawing- A A A represent posts, which may be of' any desired number and arranged in any convenient position, one of them, however, being preferably located near some convenient sheltered point, such as the porch, door, or window of a wash-house, so as to bring a portion ot' the line within easy-reach from such point.

Upon the top of each post, revolving around a vertical center, is a pulley,B, formedpof any suitable inaterial, and similar to an ordinary pulley, except that the upper ilange is provided on its edge with semicircular notches b b, beveled inwardly toward the een ter, sothat in the operation of moving the line when itis filled or partiallyfilled with clothes the top of the pins which attach them may work into these notches, and thus lessen the liability of the line to run out of the grooves and also prevent it from slipping.

C represents a line connected by a cylindrical coupling, D, preferably formed of brass or galvanized iron, having an opening, (l, ou one side sutlciently long and deep to admit ot' the reception ot' two knots, one at each end of the rope. as clearly shown.

The shoulder-head l1 has an opening through its center of suicient size to allow of the free insertion of the end of the rope before a knot is tied in it.

The head d2 differs from this in that it has a slot, d3, extending from the side corresponding to opening d to an opening in its center corresponding in size and position to that in the head d1. This slot is designed for the insertion of the opposite end of the rope after a knot has been made, the knot, of course, bearing against the inner face ofthe shoulder.

E represents the reel-box, constructed in any proper manner, having a horizontal opening, c, iuA one side, through which passes a short piece oi' rope, F, one end of which is attached to a reel inside the borg, and the other, having a kn'ot, is slipped into the open shoulderhead cl2 after the line has been unconpled and it is desired to reel it for future use.4

The reel and box may be located on a post, as shown in the drawing, or the reel may be secured, independent lof the bon, inside of any convenient buildin,

The operation is as follows:

The several posts having pulleys, as described, being in proper position, the line is attached as follows:

One end is run through the opening in shoulder-head d.l anda knot formed. This is to be permanent. The knotted 'end of the short reel-cord F is'now slipped into the open head d2, and the line, being placed opent-he dilferent pulleys, is at length brought around to the coupling, where it is drawn tight, cut to a proper length, and a knot formed at or near the end, which, after cord F is released from the coupling, is inserted inits place, thus completing the circuit and making a continuous line, ready for the clothes.

lVhen it is desired to gather' in the line, all that is necessary, after the clothes have been removed, is to disconnect it from the open end of the coupling, attach the short cord F in its place, and wind it on the reel.

The advantages of the above-described device are evident. After the line has been once wound upon the reel, it being already cut to a proper length, it is comparatively little work to run it around the `pulleys and couple it. It can be readily tightened by simply tying an additional knot in the free end, and it can be so quickly reeled that there is no necessity of ever leaving it exposed to the weather after the clothes are oi. Every foot of line may he made available, even that which is around the. .pulley s,which, from their, peculiar construction, allow the top of the pins to lean in toward the center, thus keeping the line nearer to the surface of the grooves, and ofcourse making it less liable to run olf than would he the case if there was a continuous ange corresponding to .the base of the pulley, while the bearing of the pins against the projections renders it easier to revolve the pulleys.

rlhe inclination thus given to the pins, especially if they'be long ones, has atendency also to throw the clothes away from the post, the base of the pulley being much broader than the top.

We are aware that endless lines have been used,

working around vertical pulleys, and that we do notbroadly claim but Having thus fully described our invention, 3. The coupling D, with 'opening d, head d1, head What we claim as new, and desire to secure by d2, with slot d3, in combination with the line O, asset Letters Patent, is forth.

1. The pulleys B, of the above-described construc- This specification signedvand witnessed this 21st tion, arranged upon posts or other proper support, in day of' J auuary, 1871. combination with a reel having a short line attached, DAVID REED. in the manner )and for the purpose herein described. AMOS SHAEFFER.

2. The pulley B, having its upper Bange provided Y with semicireular notches b b, as described, when ar- Witnesses: ranged upon posts and used in connection with a' JACOB E. JOHNSON, clothesline, asdescribed. WILLIAM WISE. 

